Ten years ago I was over 200lbs.
At five foot seven-ish, I shouldn’t ever be that big. Even if it was mostly muscle and ten percent bodyfat, I’d have to be on the juice to achieve that kind of mass. And with 38 inch waist I promise you, it wasn’t muscle. Sure I was very strong from moving 50lb boxes of textbooks all day, and I’d walk for miles most days. But I wasn’t healthy. I was depressed. I hurt. My doctor had me on beta blockers to slow my racing heart, and satins to lower my cholesterol.
When I asked if getting fit would help, he said yes with the tone of someone who knew I wouldn’t.
After a long career of seeing people not improving themselves, I guess I don’t blame him.
My doctor retired a couple years later, and I wish he could see me now. He’d probably grouse about my cholesterol given family history, but even he would have to be impressed at my transformation. Sometimes I wish I could crawl back into my old body, just to see how much more I can do now.
Maybe I was strong before. Ten years later I’m stronger, with greater mobility and far less pain.
I’m not going back.
To help me maintain myself, if not continue to progress, I’ve continued my education. Here are three books that I wish I’d had when I started getting healthy and am thankful to have as references now.
Strong and Lean by Mark Lauren
The night I found Mark’s first book, You Are Your Own Gym, changed my life. I used the original program for a long time, but even he admits that it was a little too much for the beginner. While the 9-minute workouts in Strong and Lean are better suited to the beginner, they’re also among the routines that I return to most. It’s the perfect blend of strength and mobility, and when done with the right degree of intensity all you need for a lifetime of good movement.
Functional Training and Beyond by Adam Sinicki
Adam, aka The Bioneer, is one of the most wholesome guys in the YouTube fitness space. If you like what you see on his channel, you’ll appreciate his book where he lays out his philosophy and approach to overall health. It’s been a while since I listened to this one and I need to revisit it soon. But if anyone knows how to become a real-life superhero, it’s this guy. Unlike Batman’s true identity, which must be kept secret, Adam is happy to share his method.
The End of Craving by Mark Schatzker
We all know there’s something wrong with our food. Why can Italians eat rich food and be healthy, while Americans keep getting fatter? It turns out, a hundred years ago we started tampering with our grains and unnatural foods cause unnatural results. Mark does a great job of telling the story of how and why it happened, and what makes our food so different from Europe’s. This book has changed how I read food labels (it’s not about seed oils, folks!) and how I think about weight and body composition.